Mary Koepp asked Kwei Quartey:

Has there been push back from Heward-Mills about the character Howard-Mills in Death by His Grace? I have been a part time missionary in Accra area for 5 years. Your books are so interesting to me because I have been there. I am appalled by the wealth of people like H-M when his congregates often don't have money to feed their families.

Kwei Quartey Hi, Mary

Thanks for your interesting question. In all the years I have written about scenarios in Ghana that are close to the reality, I've never heard back from any party that might have been shown in poor light. The reason is that there isn't a prevalent novel-reading tradition in Ghana and indeed sub-Saharan Africa in general, and as such, the novel carries little if any stature as a conveyance of criticism. Newspapers, radio, and TV, certainly. Novels? No.

Indeed, I have even given my novels to police officials at Ghana's CID as gifts, and have never received any feedback, positive or negative. I'm pretty certain none of them have read any of them! On the one hand it's disappointing, but on the other, it means I can probably go on writing freely about issues without any obstructions from the police or other entities. Certainly, the name "Howard-Mills" in Death By His Grace is brazenly close to "Heward-Mills." Obviously, I'm giving him and ministers like him a provocative poke in the ribs.

The novel I'm writing now, introducing Mabel Safo, PI, is even more critical, going right up to the top. Talk about playing with fire.

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